Heritage Council rejects jetty proposal

The future of the Tanker Jetty hangs in limbo after the State Heritage Council rejected the Esperance Shire’s concept plan for a replacement.

The Heritage Council said they would like to visit Esperance as soon as possible to meet with Shire staff and councillors and to discuss future options for the Esperance Tanker jetty.

The Shire received the news in a recent letter from the Heritage Council following their meeting on Friday, September 8 - the day before a section of the jetty collapsed.

The letter said that the concept did not show the significance of the jetty in terms of it’s “timber construction aesthetic and social values”, and did not incorporate heritage interpretation into the design.

The Council also noted that the Busselton Jetty was an example of integrating new and existing fabrics to recognise cultural heritage and recommended the Shire investigate proven alternatives.

Shire president Victoria Brown said councillors and staff would work with State Heritage Office to come to the best possible solution for the replacement of the Tanker Jetty.

“However, if we can’t reach a sustainable solution we may have to look at building a new jetty in another location along the foreshore,” she said.

“The Esperance Council is committed to building a jetty within the next two years that will not have an adverse additional cost to ratepayers either now or in the future.”

Ms Brown said the Shire had gone back and forth with the heritage council over the issue for the last 18 months, trying to get a jetty open for the community.

“We’re looking forward to council meeting with them to discuss their advice in detail and develop a shared understanding of the way forward,” she said.

“We have already gone without a jetty for almost two years.”

Ms Brown said having jetty a would boost tourism and be asset to the community which everyone could be proud of and enjoy for generations to come.

“The Shire has $2 million in funding ready for a replacement jetty, and with an additional $4 million potentially from a combination of State and Federal Government and other agencies, the community can once again have access to a recreational jetty,” she said.

The Shire will continue to collaborate with the State Heritage Office and the Replacement Jetty Working Group to work on a solution so the community has a recreational jetty.

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